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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“Why do only unfortunate things happen to the people around me? Is it just my imagination?”
I mumbled that as I stared blankly at the sky.
Se-hwa, who was next to me, placed a hand on my shoulder with a somber expression.
Yes, just comfort me without saying a word.
I was currently on a scenic hill in Seoul, acting the part of a troubled man.
It was because I had told her that the virtual, secretary-like person I mentioned at the semester start party was critically ill.
She, who trusted me, fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and this was the result.
We ended up having a private consolation session here.
I, who had been silently staring only at the sky for a good while, turned my head towards Se-hwa.
An expression as if tears were about to fall but I was barely holding them back,
an expression trying to appear resolute.
Se-hwa must have been thinking that my current face was pitiful.
I spoke in a choked voice.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Of course I had to come.”
“It’s getting late, so let’s go down.”
At my words, Se-hwa slowly shook her head.
“Let’s stay a little longer.”
“I’m feeling a bit better now. I’m really okay.”
“If you go back, you’ll have to be home alone. So just listen to me.”
I, with a complicated gaze, slowly placed my hand on top of Se-hwa’s hand, which was on my shoulder.
At that, Se-hwa’s body trembled ever so slightly.
But she didn’t show any reaction like pulling her hand away.
Instead, she just gave a smile that said everything was okay.
Se-hwa’s current actions were due to sympathy.
However, it was clear that she also had favorable feelings for me.
Good, this is enough.
Now, let’s go show her Yoo Seung-hyun at work.
I took my hand off and said to Se-hwa.
“I’m suddenly craving a drink.”
Se-hwa smirked.
She raised a single finger and pointed at the sky as if she had a good idea.
“It’s supposed to rain tonight, want to go for pajeon and makgeolli?”
“It’s supposed to rain?”
“Yeah.”
Pajeon and makgeolli… there’s certainly nothing better for a rainy day.
But not today.
Because I’m going to show you Yoo Seung-hyun.
“Instead of that, let’s go to the bar where your boyfriend, Yoo Seung-hyun-ssi, works.”
“Hmm… I’d like to, but… he told me not to come to his workplace.”
“Wouldn’t it be okay as long as we don’t bother him? Do you know where it is?”
“Yeah. It’s near my house. He said it was a bar in front of the Gold Perfume Hotel on Handae Street…”
The Gold Perfume Hotel was the place I acquired.
Handae Street was the name used to collectively refer to the commercial district of Hankook University and that neighborhood.
But a bar in front of it? Why would he lie and say he worked at a place like that?
This is only good for me.
“Yoo Seung-hyun-ssi also wanted to express his thanks to me. Let’s take this opportunity to go for once.”
“That’s true, but… I really want to set up a separate occasion to meet.”
This isn’t easy… what to do…
As I was pondering how to overcome the situation, I cheered inwardly at Se-hwa’s following words.
“Instead, I think it would be okay to just get acquainted today. To be honest, I haven’t been able to see Seung-hyun much lately, so I do want to see him.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Yeah. He works without weekends. We text constantly, but…”
It’s not as good as seeing his face in person.
And that’s why you were able to get close to me so quickly.
I grinned.
“Then let’s do this, we’ll sneak in quietly, and if he seems busy, we’ll just leave. It might feel bad to drink in front of a busy person, you know. I’m working hard, but you guys are leisurely chugging drinks? I think he might think something like that.”
A curve formed in Se-hwa’s eyes.
You really like this kind of consideration, don’t you?
It also seemed like she was thinking it was a relief that I, who had been sad, was now smiling.
But what am I supposed to do, Se-hwa?
I wasn’t even sad today.
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The bar was very busy.
To exaggerate a little, there was barely room to stand.
But the bar employee, despite having to serve many tables, kept his eyes fixed on Se-hwa and answered her questions sincerely.
Why? Because she was incredibly pretty, there was no other reason.
“There’s no employee named Yoo Seung-hyun.”
“There isn’t? He started about a month ago… did he quit?”
“I’ve worked here for a year, and no new employee named Yoo Seung-hyun has ever started.”
“R-really?”
Flustered, Se-hwa looked up at me.
At that, the employee’s gaze turned to me.
Look at that face full of hostility.
I, who completely ignored him, shrugged my shoulders at Se-hwa.
“I think we came to the wrong place… he said he works at a bar in front of Gold Perfume, right? He didn’t tell you the name of the place?”
“Yeah.”
“Then let’s try somewhere else. There are two other places besides this one…”
If it was a bar in front of Gold Perfume, it was pretty much just this place.
The other two bars were a little further away.
Se-hwa seemed to know that too, as her eyes darted around with anxiety.
“Okay…”
What are you going to do if you’re already this flustered?
You might faint in a little while.
I, with the employee’s jealous glare at my back, pushed through the crowd on Handae Street and visited two more bars with Se-hwa.
And of course, Se-hwa could not find Yoo Seung-hyun.
“What in the world…? Could it be a different hotel? I might have gotten the hotel name wrong…”
You’re still flustered.
Are you unable to think that Yoo Seung-hyun lied?
Then again… she must have firm trust in him, so it’s understandable.
I asked.
“Why don’t you try giving him a call?”
“I just tried, but he’s not picking up.”
He must be busy running errands.
To be honest, telling her to try calling was just a formality.
Because I know where that guy is right now.
Right now, Yoo Seung-hyun is at a convenience store a few blocks from here.
Anyway, the effect of the tracking monster was outstanding.
I could find out not only Yoo Seung-hyun’s location, but Yuria’s as well.
I still hadn’t found Silvia yet, but I would be able to soon.
“Hmm… then let’s just go in anywhere and have a drink. We can say hi to Yoo Seung-hyun-ssi later.”
At my words, Se-hwa lowered her long eyelashes.
Truly pretty, so pretty.
“Okay.”
“There’s a pojangmacha on the road in front of Gold Perfume selling noodles, want to just grab a simple bite there and go?”
“Noodles are good… but when did you see a pojangmacha?”
“I’m pretty good at noticing my surroundings.”
“That’s true. Shall we go?”
Like that, we moved to a small pojangmacha on the roadside in front of the hotel.
There, I ordered anchovy noodles and soju, and I smirked seeing Se-hwa cutely rubbing her wooden chopsticks together.
“It hasn’t even come out yet…”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had noodles, so I’m excited.”
“They sell noodles at the school cafeteria too.”
“They’re not tasty.”
“That’s true.”
As we were having a quiet, everyday conversation, a stout and benevolent-looking aunty placed the noodles down.
Se-hwa and I, who said thank you at the same time without anyone needing to say anything, filled each other’s soju glasses.
Even as I clinked glasses with her, I was keeping a close watch on Yoo Seung-hyun’s location.
Right now, he was loitering in front of the hotel’s main entrance.
Wondering what was going on, I took a sip of soju and stealthily glanced at the Gold Perfume Hotel, and I could see a girl and a customer arguing.
A difficult customer, it was obvious just by looking.
And Yoo Seung-hyun was trying to stop the two of them.
Good angle, good composition, good distance.
I have to tell her now.
I, who had downed the soju in an instant, pointed at the hotel with my finger for Se-hwa.
“Looks like they’re having a lover’s quarrel over there.”
A lover’s quarrel.
A fight that provides a primal pleasure, the next best thing to watch after a good old fistfight.
Se-hwa looked in the direction my finger was pointing with a face full of curiosity.
And then, after tilting her head for a moment, her expression hardened.
‘She saw.’
Yoo Seung-hyun protecting the girl, the difficult customer making a scene at the two of them.
It was a perfect picture.
I, who was mocking Yoo Seung-hyun plenty on the inside, asked with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong?”
At that, Se-hwa’s hand trembled slightly, and then she stood up from her seat.
“Wait… I’ll just be a minute, I’m going to go over there. There’s something I want to check.”
After saying that, she left the pojangmacha without even hearing my answer.
I’ll watch from a distance too.
First, let me eat some noodles.
I, who had amplified my sight and hearing, watched Se-hwa approach Yoo Seung-hyun with a leisurely mind.
As the distance grew closer, Yoo Seung-hyun also spotted Se-hwa.
His expression gradually hardened, and by the time Se-hwa was within arm’s reach, he couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
Wow… look at that face, it’s absolutely priceless!
The soju is sweet today, so sweet.
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Se-hwa realized in an instant that Yoo Seung-hyun had lied.
Like that, the two of them began to argue in earnest.
To be honest, rather than an argument, it was mostly Se-hwa snapping at Yoo Seung-hyun.
As a third party suddenly jumped in, the flustered difficult customer left the scene.
And the girl, who was making a relieved expression, suddenly stood in front of Yoo Seung-hyun and said this.
“Who the hell are you to be giving my uncle shit?”
Huh? She’s just recklessly stuffing firewood into a burning house, isn’t she?
If it weren’t for you, Se-hwa would have calmed her heart at Yoo Seung-hyun’s persuasion.
I’ll tell Marcella to get you a little bonus.
Anyway, at the girl’s actions, Se-hwa became even more enraged.
In the end, Yoo Seung-hyun soothed and coaxed the girl and sent her down to the basement.
At that, Se-hwa shouted at the top of her lungs.
“Uncle? When did he become your uncle? Are you raising a niece or something? And what the hell was that just now! You have time to take care of that person? You’re so damn shameless, aren’t you?”
Yoo Seung-hyun was flustered.
“No… uncle is just what all the employees are called here… and Se-hwa, I’m sorry for working in a place like this, but I had no choice if I wanted to earn a lot of money…”
“Is that what’s important right now? Does the fact that you lied to me not even cross your mind?”
“That’s not it… first, let’s go somewhere quiet and have a serious…”
“Have a serious conversation? You can just do that with the woman from before!”
After saying that, Se-hwa turned her body and started walking towards the pojangmacha.
Yoo Seung-hyun, of course, tried to grab Se-hwa.
Well, grab her or don’t.
I just have to watch until the fight is over, and then comfort the upset Se-hwa…
“Uncle! The manager is calling for you! A fight broke out in the basement! The unnies are grabbing each other by the hair, it’s a total mess!”
A pretty-looking girl called for Yoo Seung-hyun with an urgent expression.
At that, Yoo Seung-hyun hesitated, looking back and forth between Se-hwa and the girl.
And the choice he made was…
“Se-hwa, I’m sorry! I’ll be right out, so please wait for me!”
…to hold Se-hwa with his words and go down to the basement.
Right, he couldn’t get fired from this place that paid a lot of money, so he had to listen for now.
A good attitude.
Anyway, what a windfall?
No, wait… this clearly wasn’t luck, but Marcella’s arrangement.
It was definitely something she did, knowing that I was trying to plant distrust in Se-hwa today.
You really are the best adjutant.
When I get back, I’ll lick your toes… no, I won’t, I’ll just praise you.
“Ha… I’m truly speechless…”
Se-hwa looked at Yoo Seung-hyun and made a dumbfounded expression.
You’re upset, right? The sky is falling, right?
Ah, maybe not to that extent.
Anyway, for a person who had only ever told the truth to lie, and on top of that, instead of holding onto his long-time girlfriend, to make such a choice.
She would be pretty pissed off.
I, who had already paid while the two were fighting, was out on the street with a helpless expression.
Se-hwa, who found me, approached huffing and puffing and asked.
“Did you see?”
“Unintentionally… I’m sorry.”
“There’s no need to be sorry, let’s just go.”
“Uh… where…?”
“Anywhere. I need to cool down my anger right now. Let’s just go back to the hill we were at earlier.”
I, who nodded my head, cautiously lifted one hand.
A plastic bag containing a whitish broth and various colorful vegetables.
Se-hwa, who saw it, asked.
“What is that?”
“The noodles… I felt bad wasting them, so I got them to-go…”
At those words, Se-hwa made a dumbfounded expression.
She looked back and forth between the noodles in my hand and me, and then, she smirked as if she couldn’t be helped.
I asked with a clueless face.
“Should we buy a disposable bowl or something and go…? Want to eat it there?”
“Really… why are you such an idiot… fine, let’s do that. We’ll have to stop by a convenience store on the way. It’ll be all bloated and won’t taste good, though.”
“Then should we buy new ones?”
“Forget it. Let’s just hurry up and go.”
Her tone and expression returned to normal.
Here, I realized what kind of feelings Se-hwa had for me.
I had a place in her heart.
Of course, the size of it was probably very small, and it might just be a feeling that resided in her subconscious, but anyway, it was there.
And after today, that feeling would grow even bigger.
I followed behind Se-hwa, who was leaving this place, with my shoulders slumped like someone who had committed a crime, and thought.
‘The preparations are complete.’
Now, only the transformation remained.
Amdusias, just wait a little longer.
I will let you run wild as much as you want.
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